Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescasnow’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Wescasnow’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to hanging and mounding growth habit; vigorous growth habit; medium-sized elliptic leaves; numerous medium-sized white-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wescasnow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Wescasnow’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Calibrachoa plants withuniform plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in April, 2004 in Südlohn, Germany of Calibrachoa sp.‘Wescasal’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,040, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp.identified as code number 04P618, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany inAugust, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shownthat the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. Thefollowing traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to bethe unique characteristics of ‘Wescasnow’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wescasnow’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright to hanging and mounding growth habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Medium-sized elliptic leaves.    -   4. Numerous medium-sized white-colored flowers with red        purple-colored centers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Wescasal’. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of ‘Wescasal’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding        than plants of ‘Wescasal’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter and thicker        lateral branches than plants of ‘Wescasal’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have elliptic leaves whereas        plants of ‘Wescasal’ have oblanceolate leaves.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Wescasal’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Wescasal’ have light red purple-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have smaller leaves than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent have pink        and cream-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘Cal Cremey’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,256.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Calibrachoa differed from plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were larger than plants of ‘Cal        Cremey’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger leaves than plants        of ‘Cal Cremey’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had elliptic leaves whereas        plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ had oblanceolate leaves.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Cal Cremey’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ had cream-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘Mini Famous Compact White’, not patented. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Calibrachoa differed from plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than plants        of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had elliptic leaves whereas        plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ had oblanceolate leaves.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flower buds than        plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.    -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Mini Famous Compact White’        differed in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘Mini Famous        Compact White’ had white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Calibrachoa plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wescasnow’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers in Südlohn,Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from3 to 50 klux. Plants were 30 weeks old when the photograph anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Wescasnow’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘Wescasal’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,040.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P618, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; color, close            to 158A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to hanging and            mounding growth habit; freely branching habit with lateral            branches potentially developing at every node; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 55 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18.8 cm to 45.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.6 mm to 3.6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 146B with reddish tinting.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            slightly lighter than 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 147B; venation, slightly lighter than            147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about five to ten flowers per lateral branch; flowers face            mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            initiate and develop flowers about 12 to 14 weeks after            planting; plants flower continuously from April to October            in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 8.5 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Oblong. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Color: Base, close to 145A to 145B; mid-section,            close to 145B; towards the apex, close to 2D; venation,            close to 166A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.7 cm. Petal shape:            Broadly obovate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 155B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 155D; center, between 63A and 60B; central            spot, close to 9A; with development, color towards the            margin may become closer to 75C; venation, between 178A and            200D. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to            155D; mid-vein, close to 200C; lateral veins, close to 64A.            Throat: Close to 7A; venation, close to 199A. Tube: Close to            151C; venation, close to 186C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.1            cm to 1.5 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Sepal shape:            Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A with reddish tinting.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About            five per flower. Filament length: About 6 mm to 9 mm.            Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther shape: Ovate,            four-parted. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther width:            About 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 8B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 10A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.1 cm. Style length: About 8.5 mm. Style color: Close to            145B. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 144A.            Ovary color: Close to 145C.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 30° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescasnow’ as illustratedand described.